Description
From the manufacturer
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Beautiful traditional design. | Easy-pour spout provides elegant coffee service. | Easy-to-clean stainless steel construction. |
National Presto Industries, Inc. has stood the test of time!
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Founded in 1905 in Eau Claire, WI.It is a respected producer in the housewares and small electric appliance industry. | The company created the first saucepan-style pressure cooker in 1939.Its first electric appliance came in 1948 with the Presto Vapor Steam Iron; the first steam iron to use tap water instead of costly distilled water. In 1956, Presto introduced a complete line of fully submersible electric cooking appliances employing the first removable heat control. Other notable innovations include the PrestoBurger hamburger cooker in 1974, the FryBaby electric deep fryer in 1976, the SaladShooter electric slicer/shredder in 1988, and the Pizzazz pizza oven in 2000. | Predicting the needs of consumers……and then fulfilling those needs through consistent product innovation and quality manufacturing has been the objective of National Presto Industries for over 100 years, and it will continue to be in the years ahead. |
Arthur SeniorArthur Senior –
The media could not be loaded. In the first years of my life, I grew up with a coffee percolator. Its in my humble opinion, a percolator is the best way to make coffee. Back in the 1990’s, companies started marketing drip style coffee makers. They would classically show somebody getting coffee grounds all over their percolators, and using that as a reason to switch to drip. Well, it must have worked, because our family switched to drip style coffee makers, and we went through many of them, as they never lasted more then 3 to 5-years!I gotta be honest, when you’ve tasted drip brewed coffee, it just isn’t as good. When you’ve tasted percolator brewed coffee, its like a night and day difference. After a power outage spike took out our old coffee maker, it was time to finally go back to the percolator, and we chose the Presto. How does it measure up? Well, let me install a new surge protector first, plug the percolator into it, and then I’ll tell ya.The coffee maker comes packaged fairly well, nice box, cardboard separation inserts. Comes with an included 2-prong power cord, the same kind waffle irons, rice makers, and crock pots use. It comes with a instruction manual, and all the parts that make up the percolator, all packaged in plastic bags, which you must take out, and install properly to get ready for use.With the lid removed, filter basket and tube, fill the unit with the amount of water you require for the needed cups you want. For example, if you want to make 12-cups of coffee, fill to the 12-cup mark. I grind my own coffee beans with a portable B&D electric coffee grinder. I like my coffee strong, so I fill the grinder to its max level, and I just do a medium grind, that way you don’t get a lot of grounds getting past the filter basket into your coffee.Yes, I am well aware of the age old discussion, to paper filter, or not paper filter, that is the question. To be perfectly honest, using paper filters will indeed alter the taste of the coffee to be less desirable, all to have no grounds at the bottom of the pot. If you do a medium grind, you won’t get that many grounds at the bottom of the pot anyway, so I recommend to not use a paper filter for best flavor results.Once you have filed the filter basket, just place the percolator pickup tube into it, then center the bottom half of the tube, with the bowl shaped recessed notch at the bottom of the coffee pot. Then just hold it in place while you install the lid. The lid literally snaps into place, so there is no way that lid is ever coming off on its own, without human intervention, so you can trust it, which is a plus. Then all you have to do is plug the cord into the wall, and the coffee maker begins percolating after just a few seconds.When the coffee pot is fully filled, it is surprisingly heavy, so much so, I decided to weigh it. The coffee maker weighs in 6-pounds and 10.7-ounces, that is almost 7-pounds! It is in my opinion, that seniors who are suffering from arthritis, will have quite a bit of difficulty managing this coffee pot. I remember my mother had a lot of trouble, just trying to lift a 12-cup drip style pot. So you might want to use a second hand with a pot holder, to help you support the pot as you pore.The good news however, is that this pot has an excellent handle, that remains cool to the touch, so you never have to worry about getting burned, as what would happen with a stove top percolator! Additionally, the percolator has a beautiful spout, and it functions as good as it looks, pores beautifully. I recommend that you use filtered water, I use a Britta filter, which is better for your health, and helps to reduce calcium deposits in the coffee pot.The company claims that the percolator takes 1-minute per cup, so 12-cups = 12-minutes. I am always wary of company claims when it comes to marketing, so I decided to test that. The water sat long enough in the pot to reach room temperature before I plugged it in. As my video clearly shows, the Presto 12-cup percolator took a total of 12-minutes and 55-seconds to finish brewing. So while that is nearly a whole minute longer then company claims, its well within the norm, so they get a pass…..This time.By now your wondering, all this is well and good, but how does the coffee taste? I am happy to report, that the coffee that this percolator makes, tastes phenomenal! Literally, every time I took a sip, I was in heaven. Its like one of those things that makes you ask yourself, «what have I been doing with all of my life?» The answer is, you’ve been doing it wrong for years, but now you own a percolator, so you’ve redeemed yourself. I can’t recommend the flavor that this machine produces enough!Please note that, unlike drip style coffee makers that never get the coffee that hot, this percolator makes coffee piping hot, 195-degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful with your first sips, unless you cool it down a bit with some liquid creamer or milk.Now as far as cleanup is concerned, its not the huge ordeal that companies made it out to be, when they suggested that you switch to drip style coffee makers. Simply, remove the lid, run it under hot water, set aside. Remove the filter basket, knock it against the inside of your trash can, most of the grounds fall in, or use a piece of paper towel to assist. Run the filter basket under hot water to rinse out any remaining grounds. Run some water through the pickup tube, just make sure its clear, set aside to dry.A quick rinse of the pot as well, not even soap is required, Its literally that simple, and now your percolator will be ready for the next pot you make. I recommend only plugging and unplugging the cord from the male end that goes into the wall, there is really no need to detach it from the coffee maker itself. But when the coffee percolator finishes brewing, it will automatically turn off and switch to warming mode. I don’t recommend leaving the pot in warming mode for longer then 30-minutes though, that way the coffee stays fresh and doesn’t turn bitter on ya.I would have preferred that this coffee maker had an on/off switch, but that doesn’t appear to be a feature, that is found on percolators in general, not just from this brand. Other then that, I literally have nothing else negative to say about it. The percolator is both beautiful in design, as it is, in its function to make excellent tasting coffee, what more could you want? I really love this coffee maker and I can’t recommend it enough. If you’ve been using a drip style coffee maker, please do yourself a favor, and get a percolator.I rate this coffee maker a solid 5 out of 5 stars! Highly recommended!
Robb Ryniak –
My family has owned this percolator for 6 years now, purchased right here on Amazon in 2010, and I’m about to buy another one for work.This pot has consistently delivered the best tasting coffee — better than all restaurants we frequent, better than friends and family’s coffee… just awesomely, amazingly good. I’ve had a couple of minor maintenance issues over the years (see below) but they were super easily overcome, and in general this has been a super-reliable and very inexpensive appliance. Honestly, this has to have been one of my most favorite appliance purchases ever. And all for less than $40. Take THAT, you overpriced, overly featured drip machines that make lousy coffee!! ;-)*TIPS*With this, and any other stainless percolator, there are some basic guidelines to follow that aren’t necessarily in the manual:1. DO NOT use a paper filter. Ever. Use the metal basket ONLY. The holes are tiny enough to allow the coffee through, but to keep 99.9% of the gains in. Using the metal basket without a paper filter allows the flavor oils that naturally exist in the coffee bean to STAY in the coffee and contribute to its amazing and full flavor. If you use a paper filter, you’ll lose the oils and get an «over-extracted» flavor that’s more bitter than bold… so don’t use a paper filter, follow the instructions, and you’re GOLDEN — perfect coffee every time. Yes, you’ll get a couple of grains in the last cup without a paper filter… whoop-de-do, just don’t drink the very last few drops of the very last cup — problem solved. ;)2. Cleaning the pot: Make sure it’s clear of any build-up, but don’t scrub the interior… allow the percolator to become seasoned. It’s hot enough to prevent any bacterial issues, just like a wok or a cookie sheet. So let that puppy get seasoned, it’s perfectly safe AND more delicious over time! The key place for build up is the receiving «hole» at the bottom of the pot for the metal tube. That can build up coffee debris pretty quick, and if you don’t clear it, it will keep the metal tube from seating properly and you won’t be able to brew properly, if at all. You only need to scrape away the excess with a fingernail, and you’re good to go. The outside of the pot, however, feel free to scrub and make super shiny. It’s really a nice looking piece when cleaned!3. Cleaning the basket: The basket’s tiny holes can get plugged up over a month or so of daily use. There’s two ways to deal with this: chemically (cleaners) or with a wire brush. I prefer the wire brush route and just tap the bottom of the basket, which instantly clears the holes and allows you to keep the years of perfect seasoning intact. Wire brush FTW.4. When assembling the pot in order to brew coffee, if you don’t get the metal tube lined up with the receiving hole in the bottom of the pot, you’ll get a misfire where you’ll get a weak pot of coffee (at best), if not a mere pot of hot water. To ensure this doesn’t happen, once the metal tube is aligned with the receiving hole, twist it left and right like you’re trying to gently screw it in. It doesn’t actually screw in… the twisting movement simply forces it to pop into the hole if it isn’t in the hole already. Best. Trick. Ever.5. Don’t overfill the basket with coffee — the closer you are to the top of the tube, the more likely to get grains in the bottom of the pot. However, don’t underfill or you’ll get weak coffee. Follow the instructions, and you should be fine.6. It’s OK to let the coffee sit plugged in and ready to go for a long time as a FULL pot. If you’re going to be leaving less than half a pot for more than an hour, UNPLUG IT, the coffee can burn if it sits long enough, just like ANY coffee pot. However, I’ve let a full pot sit for 4 or 5 hours, plugged in, and it’s still not bad at all. Obviously, the fresher the better — just don’t let it sit plugged in with very little coffee left, or your coffee will be understandably less delicious than you were expecting.7. MAINTENANCE: I’ve had to replace the wire/plug once because using it thousands of times caused it to develop a minor short. Any plug/wire off the shelf that fits will do… it’s just a straight up, no frills, 2 prong AC cable. Easy-peasy. I’ve also seen the screws holding on the bottom decay over time as they’re not made of rust-resistant metal, sadly. However, a quick trip to your local hardware store will get you brand new ones; just bring the old ones with and ask the hardware guy for help. I replaced the bottom screws about 2 years ago when they got too rusty, so I got 4 years out of mine. You might be able to forestall the rusty screws issue by covering the holes with hot glue to prevent water from getting up in there when you wash the outside. That’d probably work perfectly, but I haven’t actually tried it.Finally, stop reading reviews, buy this pot, and enjoy your awesome coffee!!!
Zachary J Evans –
This thing makes my coffee hotter than any other electric coffee maker that I’ve used. I got so sick of the drip style coffee makers that barely make the coffee hot to begin with, and then the coffee is luke warm after a few mins and I always ended up putting my coffee in a microwave. So, I decided to give this electric perc thing a try, and the coffee is piping hot, it’s crusty old man hot, the way I like it and demand it to be. And it stays old man hot too as long as it’s plugged in. Also it’s small and takes up way less counter space, not ugly like the drip ones so it’s way less of an eye sore in my kitchen. The coffee tastes really good, I don’t even bother with using filters and it’s fine, makes no difference. It takes about 10 mins to make 12 cups. One small extra step is I use filtered water in one of those little jugs with a filter on it to increase flavor quality and soften the water a little. I should have got one of these electric perc coffee makers a long time ago. I’ll never use a gigantic ugly Luke warm drip style coffee maker again. It’s this thing to the end. There’s no safety off timer, I like that also because I drink coffee all day and it just stays hot forever, but that could be a deal breaker for the paranoid type. If that’s you, I say just buy a little plug with a built in timer for it because it’s worth the good tasting, actually hot coffee.
dori sparks –
We are making the switch to percolator to get away from plastic and heat mix. This one has no aluminum and no plastic. We also bought a grinder and did a coarse grind which works better for a percolator. Set it all up last night and just turned it on this morning. Coffee was ready in no time. Still haven’t cleaned it yet. I am grateful to find something without plastic. The glass lid lets you watch while you perk. Nice! Also it has a base and you can lift the pot away from it. Plus it keeps the coffee warm. The coffee was very clear and not full of grinds. I recommend buying a grinder also.
L. Hayward –
The glass carafe on my drip coffee maker broke (not the first time) so I decided to look at alternative ways to brew. I tried the French press (Yuck! too polluted & grainy, nasty flavor). I tried the Kuerig and the K-cup (equally nasty, an imposter- a cheap alternative not at all like real flavorful coffee). I remembered my grandparents’ percolator, so I did some research. I found the Presto percolator & bought it. WOW! What a robust, smooth, flavorful cup of coffee! I’m sold on the flavor, the simplicity of brewing & the fact that there are no breakable parts! I clean the pot as directed- easy peasy- and there are no filters to buy! A perfect cup of coffee with every brew! There’s no turning back or looking to coffee imposters. I love my old-time percolator! Ahhh! The perfect brew with every single cup! Yum!
Bodyreflexion –
Wanted to remove boiling in plastic and toxic potentials of ol Mr Coffee machine and move to stainless steel…much hotter coffee with Presto vs Mr Coffee…tastes better…except for dumping fine coffee grinds into a smaller lined filter cup and then folding the 4 holes over and inserting it with the spring tube into the Presto pot (which is so worth the ease of cleanup later when it usually just empties into trash without leaving residue grinds like the Mr Coffee filter cleanup did)…everything else including rinse and wipe up is better with the Presto…short learning curve and much healthier over plastics in your coffee!!! Sorry I didnt do this years ago!
Douglas K –
This is my 2nd one in the last 9 years. Great price here too compared to local stores around for the same style. Coffee is a daily drink to have. My last one lasted a long time and worked well. It’s easy to use and clean. Built to last better than any others. Makes the coffee perfectly easy. Brings out the perky kinda shine and aroma to anytime room when its on. Would recommend this to anyone looking for this type of style. It won’t disappoint any user and adds enough to have and share if needed.
DustinA –
I bought the cordless version. It is easy to use, easy to clean. I love the all glass lid that let’s you watch it percolate. It is very well designed. If I could change anything I would add the ability to control the temperature for the perk rate. It gets up to a good hot temp pretty quick so it percolates at a faster rate a bit sooner than I would like but I have used it for over a month and have been very pleased with the coffee it makes. Nice full flavor not watered down and love the hot temperature it keeps the coffee at. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for a new and better coffee maker. I will never use a drip maker again.
WHIMC –
After decades of trying all types of coffee makers from drip-single serve-pour over-French press, we have finally found perfection.The coffee is hotter than any other method, flavor is delicious, never bitter and no plastic daily waste. Plus it gives us a smile as we reminisce about our parents having the same percolator decades ago.I also love that my smallish counter space isn’t occupied by another machine bigger than my kitchen aid mixer.Try this! You will love it! I found that grinding my beans each day to a coarse grind leaves no grinds in the coffee and contributes to a wonderful taste. I use Lavazza crema whole beans, 5 one tablespoon scoops to the 6 cup water line is perfect.
Keith JonesKeith Jones –
We were in search of the perfect cup of coffee from our childhoods. This guy fit the bill for an electric perk pot, as we really didn’t need the 60 gallon coffee pot the parent’s used to have for social gatherings.This in conjunction with reading an article on the types of beans one should use in an electric perk pot as well as the difference between the been types. We found that full bodied flavor cup of coffee that we were looking for.The pot performed perfectly. It will do a 12 cup pot. It’s easy to put together, use clean and store when not in use.We still have a number of coffee types yet to go, but so far, we have enjoyed the coffee that it makes.
Sandyt –
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